5 habits to keep you from losing your voice.

Keeping your singing and truth speaking voice healthy is non-negotiable when you have the desire to express yourself creatively and freely.

 I coach singers every day who want to learn how to create new habits to help them from losing their voices. As a vocal coach, I take so much pride in this type of information because keeping your voice healthy can literally make or break your singing career or hobby singing interests.

Signs you have unhealthy vocal habits:

• You’re constantly clearing your throat of phlegm or worse, it’s unclearable.

• You’re constantly losing your voice after singing rehearsals or performances.

• You’re vocally fatigued or experience consistent discomfort when you use your voice.

• You’re stressed about whether or not your voice will hold up for a gig or rehearsal.

Here are some healthy vocal habits to keep you from losing your voice

1. Hydrate: Your vocal cords (and thus your whole body) need to be hydrated in order to function optimally. If you aren’t hydrated, your body will produce excess mucus and that can be a problem for the vocal cords. As well, proper hydration levels will keep your voice from feeling raspy and allow you to sing through a show or rehearsal with more ease.

HOT TIP:  Hydrate early. Drinking water while you’re singing isn’t going to reach the vocal cords in time. Think of it as “pre-drinking” for your gig or rehearsal or recording session. Aim for full body hydration levels at least 2 hours before you sing or have a speaking engagement.

2. Manage Reflux: Heartburn, acid reflux and the dreaded “silent reflux” can really wreak havoc on our vocal cords. When our stomach acid issues aren’t under control, our bodies produce thick, unclearable mucus to protect the vocal cords (the acid can splash over the epiglottis and into the larynx to harm the vocal cords). This kind of mucus is thick and often times feels unclearable. It can mean the difference between a clear sound and hoarseness when we sing. NOTE: you don’t need to feel heartburn to feel the effects of reflux, often times it is “silent” in that we can’t feel it.

HOT TIP: Avoid foods that you know cause you acid issues. Stop eating a minimum of 3 hours before sleeping and see a laryngologist regularly to make sure your vocal folds are healthy, as reflux can make a singer more susceptible to vocal hemorrhage.

TRY: Vocal Mist saline nebulizer to keep your throat good and clear of mucus.

3. Functional Voice Training: working with a methodology such as Somatic Voice Work (The Lovetri Method ™) is a great way to understand how your voice functions. Basing your vocal technique in voice science can help alleviate vocal function mishaps that can lead to voice loss or range restriction. Working with a functional voice coach (Hi, that’s me!), can set you up for a great singing career with smooth, connected vocal registration and an inner knowing of your instrument that can’t be beat.

HOT TIP: record your vocal warmups during your vocal sessions so you can always warmup/cool down before and after gigs and rehearsals. AND use straw phonation or humming through a straw into water (blowing bubbles while singing) to create optimal vocal cord vibration!

4. REST:  I think it goes without saying that if your vocal instrument is a part of your whole body, it’s non negotiable that your body be well rested for optimal performance. We singers are like athletes, we need to treat our bodies with respect and kindness!

HOT TIP:  In addition to your 7-8 hrs of uninterrupted sleep/night, adding meditation and relaxation practice to your routine can really amp up the rest quotient in your life. When we meditate, our nervous system comes out of fight or flight and a sense of calm can wash over us.

5. MIND YOUR MIND: We have TWO voices: Inner voice, or the voice that narrates throughout the day and Outer voice, or the voice which we share with the world. Both matter A LOT. Dare I say, inner voice might be a little more important. If we’re not mindful of inner critic or negative inner dialogues, they can begin to take over and really hold us creative souls back from doing our life’s work.

HOT TIP: Keep mindset reframing at the top of your list of to do’s whenever a negative thought pops in. The first question to ask the inner voice is always: “Is that true”? (usually it’s no!) YOU decide what’s true, and how you’ll move forward with your  singing and truth speaking!

Click HERE to read 8 tips for your most amazing voice!

Looking to Uplevel your voice? Click HERE to chat with Elise about booking your vocal coaching sessions.